Published Aug 11, 2026, 10:37 AM EDT
The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to violating the Arms Export Control Act and will be sentenced this fall.
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Published Aug 11, 2026, 10:37 AM EDT
A Chinese national is facing up to 20 years behind bars after pleading guilty to attempting to obtain U.S. military technology. Dingwei Chen, 29, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, pleaded guilty Aug. 10 in federal court in Salt Lake City to violating the Arms Export Control Act, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). U.S. District Judge David Sam accepted Chen’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for Oct 19. Chen faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Authorities said that Chen attempted to purchase military-grade satellite modems and radios manufactured for the U.S. military by American companies. The legal ramifications were based on the specific communications hardware Chen attempted to buy, as they may not be legally exported from the United States without a license from the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls—which generally does not issue licenses to export military goods and services to China. “Chen tried to divert sensitive U.S. military technologies to the People’s Republic of China, technologies the PRC could have used against us in the future,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg in a statement. “These advanced technologies are a product of United States ingenuity and investment, and the National Security Division will act together with our partners across the government to enforce our laws to protect the military advantage bestowed by such technologies.” The case is being prosecuted by trial attorney Christopher Magnani, of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
